You would be hard-pressed to be a science fiction fan and not have come across the work of Nicole de Boer in your television viewing. The Canadian actress has made quite a name for herself in the fantasy universe, from portrayals in Star Trek to The Dead Zone to the cult hit "Cube."

GateWorld got the chance to catch up with Miss de Boer at the 2008 Comic-Con convention in San Diego, California, where Nicole had recently completed filming of her first appearance in the Stargate universe in the episode "Whispers", portraying Dr. Alison Porter.

In our interview with the actress, Nicole discusses her involvement, both in the episode and with Dr. Carson Beckett, as well as taking us back through her whirlwind career in science fiction. We also touch on the importance of strong female roles on television and her desire to reach out to her fans.

GateWorld's interview with Nicole runs over 7 minutes. The video requires QuickTime 7.0 or higher. The interview is also available at GateWorld Play! Rather read the interview? It's also transcribed below!

GateWorld: For GateWorld.net, I'm David Read and I'm here at Comic-Con San Diego, the first big day, with Miss Nicole "de Boer?"

Nicole de Boer "de Boer," yes. Hello, hello! It's crazy here.

GW: Doctor, I believe, Alison Porter?

NDB: Doctor Alison Porter on Stargate Atlantis.

GW: One episode this year? "Whispers" so far?

NDB: Just one episode so far.

GW: That you're allowed to tell us.

NDB: No, that's all I've been invited to do so far!

GW: You're kidding!

NDB: Well, I think the plan is the whole idea that it's an all-female away team. I think they want to air the episode and see how people feel about the women, and see what the response is. Then they'll decide from there which women they might invite back.

Colonel Sheppard and team join forces with an all-female unit in Season Five's "Whispers."

GW: Kind of like testing the water.

NDB: Yeah. It's a little test. Yes.

GW: You've been involved in so many big science fiction franchises. Obviously Deep Space Nine, which surely you get the most hits about.

NDB: The biggie. The big institution.

GW: But also some quiet cult hits like The Dead Zone. You've been on the Outer Limits.

NDB: I have a film, "Cube," that did very well.

GW: "Cube," yes. Wasn't that with David Hewlett?

NDB: It was! Yeah, that was the last time, first and last time, that we worked together. We didn't get to work together on Stargate Atlantis, because our characters didn't get to meet. But I got to see him on set, and that was fabulous, because I love David. He's great.

GW: How did they approach you to get in touch with you about this character. Were they talking about a whole female ensemble? What got you interested?

NDB: Yeah, they were. They called me in to read for it. I actually went in for the character of Major Teldy, and I thought, "Well, I don't know if I'd be right for that or not." But I liked the character. But then when they watched my tape they decided, "Oh, no, there's our Porter. We found our Porter." So I got an offer and I was like, "Oh, OK, interesting. Oh, it's for Porter!" OK.

NDB: I haven't seen a lot of it. I just caught it here and there. But I liked what I saw.

GW: How does Stargate, with the exposure that you've had, how does that compare to the other sets, the other sci-fi shows that you've worked on? Is it more stressful? Less? What kind of atmosphere?

NDB: I liked the studios that they film at, Bridge in Vancouver. It's a great place to work. I just thought the cast and crew were fabulous. They were having a really good time, which is nice to see after so many years [of working together]. It can go either way. It can be a family atmosphere or it can be [that] people get grouchy.

But it's a really great atmosphere that they have over there.

GW: "Whispers," the episode you're in in Season Five, has been talked about just a little, and they say that it's kind of a spooky show. What can you tell us about your involvement?

NDB: Well from what I know it's a little departure from the usual Atlantis. It's scary, it's like a horror kind of episode. It involves a lot of fog and a lot of creepy, scary things. It involves some chicks with machine guns. Big, big guns.

GW: Something tells me Joe Mallozzi was behind that.

NDB: Hmm ... Could it be? Hmm ... [Laughter] Yes, no, he was there every day on set, plying us with chocolate. Keeping us well fed with chocolate, taking lots of pictures of us. It was a great time. I think -- I hope -- that the fans are really going to enjoy that episode. I think so.

GW: You spent a lot of time with Paul McGillion. Is he someone you've worked with before?

" it's like a horror kind of episode ... It involves some chicks with machine guns. Big, big guns."

NDB: I haven't, but we both have Scottish backgrounds so we clicked immediately. He wouldn’t stop hitting on me the entire time. It was a little embarrassing. No, I'm kidding. Yeah, he's fabulous. My character, and his character, seems to be a little somethin'-somethin' ...

GW: Winky-wink?

NDB: Winky-winky going on. So we'll see.

GW: You don't die by the end of the episode. Are you hoping to return?

NDB: I would love to come back. I would love to return. I like the character. I like to see where things happen with her. So we'll see. I wouldn't say no.